Fastening device



July 24, 1951 G. A. TINNERMAN FASTENING DEVICE Filed June 21, 1948 swam/ M GEOPGE A WA/A/EEMAM/ ArraeA/EY Patented July 24, 1951 PATENT OFFICE FASTENING DEVICE George flit Thinel manilfcleveland,Ohio, assignon topTin'ner'man Products, Inc., Cleveland, .Ohio,

a corporation of Ohio Application June 21,

This. invention: relates to attachahlef ty es. I

fastening devices designed Lfcinrea'dy attachment to an. apertured. supporting "part. to.,.p rovidej the same. withmeans.for.securing a,cooperating,part-' thereto. or for. securing another. structure, .object. I orarticle. of manufacture to. said supnortinggpart. The .invention;..is directed,.. more particularly, to clip type fastening devicesWhich compris means. for attaching the fastener ,in..a single,..rc1ative1y,.. small opening; ma. supporting part together vvvith. means. for threadedly engaging a .bolt. .01" screw fastener tosecure a=cooperating.part to the supporting part, or: other means. for retaining. I object or. part in secured relation to thesupp'orting part... l his application .is a. continuation in part of .priorcopending application Serial liiiin;v i beresgsseeied May 13,1948: h

The improved fasteners of the inventi on. .are of the. general. type having attaching. means in the form. ofv a...spring arm,. or. the. like, which pliedto claspingengagement with theimarg edge .portio11., of.anlopening in apart'toge A r. with a: locking. shouldror. abutment. also 'rec'ei 44 able. in the opening. to lock. the ,spjring arm the applied fastening, position of the fastener, In. many assemblies, the nature of the installaj. tion issuch' that only a sing1e,,.re1ative1ysmallff assembling opening orrecess in apart to .b'r s curedjsl permissible. or advisable to attach nu or ,otherother type of fastener. for securing'thjeg parts of t. the installation. The finest Q desirable}? attachmentv of a fastener in such instances one...in. which, the. complete.v attachment Ji'sje'fii fected "within the assembling opening in'aman-L her which minimizes the attaching elements're quired on. the fastener and which dispenses "with thelre'quirement for separate holesl1in .t sup: porting, part .for the. application of auxiliary taching meanssuch; as rivets, welding andthe. liketto retain the fastener in attached .p'ositiori;

A 'primary object of theinvention is .to'provifde j a sheet metal fastening device of .thischaracter" thatmay be inexpensively. constructed [withv an. iniproved'type of attachingmeans in the form of a simplified clasping. arm and 'cooperatingfretai ingjtab' or abutment Which'are particularljg su ted? for attachment in .a relatively smaliopjenm aparttoretain'the fasteningdevic'e in fastening position against both axial and lateral displace ment 'with'outth'e use of extraneous; auxiliary 'atfl taching means. f

A further object of the invention is to prov de j a;fasteningjdevice such as described inwhich the}: attachingmeansnomprise's a sleeping arm "and a cooperating tab" defining oppositely; extendi g zioiai is (e1. 1511 41..75)'

1948, Serial No.r.34,-1 81 2 applied fastening position against axial as well as lateral displacement.

a. bolteor rscrewapplied through the same: openingin which the fastener; is- .attached'zto threaded engagementQWi-th a nut .or thread portion-n the 1ov fastener body.

v ,A furtherob'ject of-the. invention is;.to providei sucha fastening device: in which the perforated clasping. .arm .is adapted for. attaching; the fasing shoulderlelements .for. lockingthe; fastener in attached .fastening position.

" Eiirther objects and advantages, and other. new

andusefiilieatureS-in the construction, arrange ment andgeheral combinationofparts of the in ventionwillbereadily apparent as theefollowing description, proceeds. with reference to the ac comhanyingiidrawings, for Purposes of i11ustra= tion" but not oili'mitation,intwhich like reference" characters designatelike parts throughout, and

iri-whichz" Fig; v1 is,.a..bottom.,p1an, view ofsaiformrof anattachable nut fastening. device. in accordance with the. invention showingtheformation of the .improvedlattaching means;

35, Fig. 3'is asectionaLvie'w showing .the fastener.

- in 'side' elevation as; initially appliedto anopening.

irr'a'supporting part nu'tinattached fastening position on a .support- I ing part," represented "in section;

Fig, 6 isv a bottom planview of..the.fastener per se' of Fig; 5 showing theiormationnff the- 50 improved attachingmeans of the fastener. in. this.

' f orm of the invention; and,

Fig-7' is atop plan view of Fig.5;

The improved fastening. devices ..of.-th'e .inven-- tioniare of general utility. and may be readilydefiflsignedia's' necessary for use in various installa abutments for: retaining --the fastening devicexin.

[Fig.f4' is a sectionalgview-of;Fig...2; along line. 4 4; looking inthe dii'ectionof the arrows. show!- i 40 ingfthe improved. attachingt meansof. the fastener in; applied position ina generally rectantions in proportion to the size and contour of the parts secured. The fastening devices are particularly suited for use in providing an apertured supporting part with means for securing a cooperating part thereto by an operation taking place entirely from one side thereof as required in a blind location, for example, In this relation, each form of thef invention relates to the provision of a fastening device having screw threaded fastener receiving means and otherwise comprising an attaching means designed to hold the fastening device in a self sustaining fastening position on the supporting part preparatory to the application of a threaded fastener thereto for securing a cooperating part to such supporting part. In other installations, the fastening devices may be provided in the manner of holders or retainers for ordinary threaded nuts or retaining means for securing a molding, conduit, cable or other object or article of manufacture. In any form, the fastener comprises an improved attaching means which is particularly suitable for attachment in a relatively small bolt opening or assembling opening in the supporting part and which provides for the complete attachment of the fastener within any such opening.

Referring now, more particularly, to the drawing, Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive show one embodiment of the improved fastener which comprises a strip, plate or other sheet metal body provided with means for threadedly engaging a bolt or screw for securing superposed apertured parts. The supporting part A to which the fastener is attached may be of any suitable material such as sheet metal, wood, fiber board,or the like; however, inasmuch as the instant invention is employed mainly in metallic structures, the supporting part is usually in the form of a metallic panel or platelike element provided with the necessary bolt openings along which the object or part to be secured thereto extends in mounted position thereon. Such bolt openings are so provided as to serve both as an assembling opening for attaching the fastener and as a passage for the bolt applied to the fastener. The bolt opening I may be provided as a generally rectangular hole, or, as

a simple circular aperture or of any other suit-.

able design or configuration.

The fastener, designated generally l0, comprises a relatively small, inexpensive blank of sheet metal which is best provided in the manner of a simple section severed from standard sheet metal strip stock with minimum loss or waste of material. Any suitable sheet metal may be employed but preferably that of a spring metal nature such as spring steel or cold rolled steel having spring characteristics and otherwise of a much greater tensile and compressive strength than the supporting part A to which the fastening device is attached. The fastening device may assume any desired shape or configuration and in any form defines a base or body II which is provided with bolt or screw thread engaging means l2 adapted to receive a threaded fastener l5 for securing the superposed apertured parts A, B, in an installation such as shown in Fig. 2, for example.

The sheet metal base H is provided with integral tongues 12 or similar bolt engaging means which are pressed, extruded, or otherwise struck and formed to project upwardly out of the plane thereof for threadeclly engaging a bolt or screw fastener, substantially in the manner of a nut. Preferably the sheet metal base I l is so formed in the stamping operation as to present a slightly 4 arched resilient base from which said tongues I! extend upwardly in substantially ogee formation with the extremities thereof so spaced as to lie on a helix corresponding substantially to the pitch of the threads of the bolt or screw fastener l5 for most effective, uniform threaded engagement therewith.

The thread engaging elements l2 are best provided in the sheet metal body by an aperture intermediate spaced parallel slits which form cooperating tongues, or the like, having spaced extremities defining the desired thread or thread opening corresponding substantially to the root of the bolt or screw for threadedly engaging the thread thereof/ Said tongues I2 otherwise are preferably formed to project upwardly out of the plane of the fastener base and are bent lengthwise in substantial ogee formation to provide for the maximum strength obtainable to withstand the tighteningaction of the bolt or screw as it is advanced to final applied fastening position.

Such thread engaging means may be pressed, stamped, extruded, or otherwise provided on the fastener in any suitable form or construction so long as the same threadedly engage with the thread of the bolt or screw and, in this relation,

the present invention fully contemplates the provision of such thread engaging means in various other similar and related forms, as in the manner of a keyhole type of thread opening, or a perforated protuberance which is pressed from the sheet metal base and shaped to provide a helical thread or thread opening, or otherwise has the walls thereof tapped to provide a plurality of threads for threadedly engaging the bolt or screw. It has been found that such thread engaging means prepared in the form of cooperating, yieldable tongues l2 as shown, are most efiicient and practical in that they are possessed of unusual inherent strength and will not collapse or pull through when the bolt is tigh'tened, nor loosen under continuous strain and vibration in the installation. This takes place by reason of the fact ,,that the sheet metal material from which such tongues are formed is of less thickness than the pitch or spacing between adjacent thread convolutions on the bolt or screw, wherefore the extremities of said tongues tend, more effectively, to

move toward each other and dig into the grooves intermediate adjacent thread convolutions when I the bolt or screw is tightened and otherwise become embedded in the root of the bolt or screw in locked, frictional fastening engagement therewith.

Thus, in the present example, the tongues 12 are shown as extending outwardly out of the plane of the fastener base H in substantial ogee design and provided preferably with notched ex-. tremities, defining substantial biting jaws adapt-' ed to cut into the root of the bolt and the adja cent thread surfaces thereon in positive locking relation therewith in the most effective manner.

There is thereby eliminated the necessity for a separate, auxiliary locking means such as a lock nut or look washer and this, in mass production zznea jmoae 5; tonguesvorsequivalent threadfengaging *elementszn The attaching portion of the fastenerfgds t-tdee; SigHBdtO'hOld the fastenerlin selfe'sustained posttion on the supportingtpartAgasshown'rinrFiggzg with-'"the stu'd engagingtongues-l2iin:.aligmnent' or: A .whileitheitahzomprojectionr22: and .their'eeiend; with the'zboltopening l therein preparatoryvto-f theapplieation-of the bolt orscrew E m securing; axcoopera'ting part iB to said supporting part'Aebyi anuoperationtaking place entirely-from the outer; side-of the installation;

The--attaching portion' of the f astenerc'coma prisesan apertured spring arm 2i! whiehmot onls'f retains the fastener in attached fastening positio'n oven-the bolt'opening-l butalsoprovide's 311335? 2 5b} award-meltin eooperatezeinr: engagfimentwzwithn opposing walls oiathe bolt:opening;v to locks; thee fastenefiagamstezlaterah displacement: in: fullm' appliedifasteninginositionromthe'zsupporting parti ofxtthe armiilifoverlap and abut opposing-marginal portionsroflthe'zsopening to" retain" the fastener againstraxiatzdisplacementzfrom. said bolt open-.- I

ing: Thisxisdmportant lwhen the cooperating Joolt lwionscremi Saisibroughtainto thread engaginggrela:

ti'on with thesfastenerainasmuc-h as :the tab :22 -.c0.-:- operatesiwvith rthesIreesend-zof the arm. 2 to prev ventilthesfasteneril-frommeing pushed out of: fas;

teningltpositiomfromatheebolii.iopening ;,when: the a sage-for the boltorscreW l applied to-the-threadk lsziboltais. initiallyiappl 0rotherwiseodisplaced therefrhmvwhenw thBiEbOltrilOJI ;screw'- is rotated to '1 tightened fastening position with; the: fastener. Thezslateral tabrrorprojection 22-=preferably"is;in: resilientrgrippingr engagement with the support tHe'lufaste'ner a a t threadengagin'g zoping-gpartriwhile -.-the :fremendofisaid arm 2U :'ad.-;= jaeent?thevshoulderszEilikewise: ism-resilient en-. gagementwi-thvsaid part to maintain-the shoulder? 2 5impositivemngagemenhwith .the adjacent :walL: ofai'theeboltx openingmndervconstant:spring tenor nut portion 12 on the base of the fastener."

Such-*an apertured-spring arm 2% is readily provide'd bya simple return bent extension on thefastener whichdepends from theoentra'l area 0f-'-'- means 12. Preferably 'a portion of the arm 1s": provided "by spaced "slits in the iastener ba'se l l so --that-=the overall size of said 'fastenenbase is P suflibient to over-lap the bolt opening P more or le'ss'unifo'rmly.

The-attaching arm is--provided Withastud passage 2! and "a lateral tab or pI'OJ GCtiOII'I-ZE? stamped therefrom" whichextendsin opposite relation to-the attaching arm 2i)?" The tab'or-proe jeotion 22 defines an abutment lying in the' same 0 general plane as said attaching arm and maybe providecl in any-suitable form either as a single tab or as-apair or more of cooperating pro'je'o ti'ons extending inopposite-relation to said-"arm"' 20L Thereturn bent portion of "'saidtarm 2fl" pro-'-- 3552 vide's a pronounced shoulder 24 adjacent said tab or abutment 22 and said arm extends-gradually inwardly to define a Sh0l11d8115-3dj2i06111; it's free end with the extremity thereof terminating in an -outwardly fiarecl 1ip-2e which facilitates the iot initial application of the attaching arm over: an; edge" of the bolt opening -I as shown in'"Fig. 32'" The arrangement otherwise is su'ch 'that "the re-*- turn' bent shoulder 24 is spaced from the-shoulder 25 a distance approximating: the space betweenes e opposing: wall-portions of the opening -I :so as 130* engage said :wall portions in' the attached posi-z tio n'of the fastenerfiand lock the same.ihrssuch-1: attached positionagainstlateral displacement;

The fastener thus-provideddsteasily and.;quick1y- 5 fastener: by? causing "a igradualu: outward-4 flexing:-

thereofzoverthe edge of the boltl-openingf-asnecese 1 sary f0rthei fastener toxassume the: position jectio'nizsislreceived'in saicl opening;:. The: fas:+-

Whemtheboltopening l is providedinthe form. 1 ofa-rectangnlar-slot!asshown iii-Fig. 4; the spaced?! shoulders: 24", 25;- engage-opposing;endwallsiof theu-slotaasz. aforesaid; while the-side edgesofithet springiiarm' arezdisposedyin "abutting engagement:

with": the adjacent-1straight;sidewalls} of' thers1ot' asiafunther:means:maintaining-5th::fastenergin fixed; nonrotative applied.- position-onwthesup-+ ppntinggpart. 'Ihisais: important upondnsertion anch turningwf the .-bolt*torscrew-fastening ;l 5,1 Fig-,;; 2; toe-threaded lfasten-ing engagement with: thestud engagingelements .il 2- in-securing the co; operatingepart-B tol-the supporting part in com.- 1

pletingeany; installation:- Ini a' b1ind- "assembly;

sue-h: substantiallyfixed, lnonrotative attachment 0t ithe:fastenersinyself retained/position-.on-.the suppontingl partfisessential inasmuch'as the re- VSXSEtSid-B Of the 'supportinggstruoture is not reach ily accessible and itabecomesrimpossible or ineon-e ientiforitheioperatonto hold the fastener while insertinggand lthreadedly engaging a bolt or-screwwith;.thethread-,engaging means thereof a In: any.. case, thelcooperating shoulders .24, 2 5 w are located to.correspond mithttheecontour :01 thebolt. .openv-E eeingeemployed. vtosenga e.opposing walls thereof andethereby loek'theqfastener rig-idlyrin, attached position, as aforesaid. It --is .ethereupen .a simple mattento complete an-iinstallation securing-the? pantsiA; B l-by-i passingrthe bolt l5 through the 55estud=passage-21intheaspring arm 20 into-threaded engagemen-t :with-Hthe thread engaging means I2 on-the iii/51561161313358;

the fastener may beeslid-meversely to disengagetener isv then-pushed reverselyiin. theidire'etion-rofar fi fiheafibfl giarm 20 fromathe: assembling theearrow inti Fig. 3 southat" the return zb'entvr shoulder? 24' engages: the adjacent zwallziofethea openings! while;:the tab :oruprojectionrn 'overlapss andxabuts. the lmarginalrportion lof said openingi;

ing'clasping; 'relationrtherewith;-. In-rlthis; position:

theshoulder-25 onitheireeend ofvthearmf-m isi BJSQ-J'GCBiVGdJIi; the bolt opening-J inrengagement'r with an: opposite wall. thereofginasmuch as it is:- provided with a predetermined:spacing fromrthee ing andepermiti lthemfastener-tto be: removed.

It will tbeeappreciated that in the use of these oneepiece eifastening .devices-z-ofz-th'e invention" the fasteners-are admirably; suited for attachment in relatively :small openings inzclose quarters Also, various efastening installations may beeprovided t whic-hrare-relatively {light in-lweight and; superior anch more fadvantageouswin --.many respects than I those SECUIEdwbYQHDChL-OD. nutidevioes embodying shell-Idea forsth-is purposei- Theshou-lders 24;; '?com/entionahthreadedwnutsewhieharequirenote:

speaoom only look washers to provide a locked assembly, but also some extraneous means such as spot' welding, riveting or cage devices to retain the nuts in applied position on the support preparatory to the application of the bolt fastening thereto.

Figs. 5-7 inclusive disclose another form of fastener in accordance with the invention which is provided as a holder for attaching a standard nut or tapped plate in fastening positionin an and the cooperating shoulder 35 adjacent the free end of said arm. These shoulders 34, 35,

are spaced a distance approximating the space between opposing walls of the bolt opening I in the supporting part A so as to engage said walls in the attached position of the fastener and lock the same in such attached position against lateral displacement. The free end of said arm 32 outwardly of the shoulder 35 defines a resilient spring clasping'tongue which preferably terminates in an outwardly flared lip 36 that facilitates the initial application of the fastener to attached fastening position. A laterally extending tab or other projection 38 is stamped from the fastener base 3! together with the attaching arm 32 to extend in the general plane of said arm in opposite relation thereto. The

tab 33, accordingly, is adapted to serve as an abutment together with the free end of the arm 32 to hold the fastener in attached position against axial displacement from the bolt opening I in the supporting part in substantially the manner described with reference to the similar:

elements of the fastener of Figs. 1-4 inclusive. I

An extension on the fastener base 3| is bentl into an overlying spring arm 40 provided with a bolt passage 41 and a web portion 42 connect ing said spring arm 49 in spaced relation to the fastener base 3!. shoulder or flange 43 on the free end of said spring arm at terminates preferably in an'out- Wardly flared guide surface 44,while side flanges 45 extend downwardly from opposite sides of said spring arm 48. The arrangement is such that a suitable nut N is readily snapped between the overlying spring arm All] and the base 3! of the fastener and, in such assembled relation, the shoulder or flange 43 on the free end of the spring arm l6 engages the outer end face of the nut and the web portion d2 engages theopposite end face thereof while the side flanges 45 engage the side faces of the nut 'to retain the same Within the nut holder and prevent turning of the nut when a cooperating bolt or screw is applied thereto and rotated to tightened fastening position. Assembly of the nut with the nut holder is facilitated by the outwardly flared initially applied, engages said guide surface in a camming action to spread the spring arm 40 apart from the fastener base 3| as necessary to' admit the nut to assembled relation within the nut holder, whereupon the shoulder 43 on the free end of the spring arm snaps into en age- The attaching arm 32, how- A downwardly extending ment with theadjacent outer end face of the nut,

as aforesaid.

The nut holder is attached in the bolt open- 1 ing 5 in the supporting part either prior to or 1-- after the nut N is assembled therewith substantially as shown in Fig. 5 and the application of the attaching hook 322 to the bolt opening, I is substantially the same as that described in reference to Figs. 1-4 inclusive.

as shown in Fig. 5, a cooperating part may be holder.

The fastener in any form preferably is conv struc'ted of relatively thin sheet metal, th thickness of which is selected according to service requirements and the predetermined size of the parts secured. The fasteners are most effective when provided of spring metal suitably spring tempered and otherwise treated to give the de sired toughness and hardness, particularly in the case of devices which are used in installations where extreme vibratory motion takes place. A cheap but effective fastener may be provided from cold rolled metal, such as cold rolled steel, f,

which is untempered but of a spring metal nature and capable of providing an effective and 4 reliable fastening means.

intended as illustrations only stant disclosure are fully contemplated.

What is claimed is:

- 1. A fastener for attachment to a part solely in'the bolt or screw opening provided in said part, said fastener comprising a sheet metal body providing a base larger than said opening in saidpart and adapted to bear on said part, said base having an aperture and carrying means adja-" cent said aperture for engaging a bolt or screw,"

and a return bent portion projecting from said base defining an arm extending in the same general direction as said base, said arm being smaller than said base and having an open area- 'providing a bolt or screw passage aligned with the aperture in said base, said arm being of suchsize as to be fully receivable in the openin in' said part from one side of said part to extend through said opening and engage the other side of said part in overlapping relation to a mar-.

ginal portion of said opening, and an abutment provided from the material of said arm and bent to extend in the opposite direction from said arm, said abutment being engageable with said other side of said part in overlapping relation I to an opposite marginal portion of said opening. 2. A fastener for attachment to a part solely in the bolt or screw opening provided in said part, said fastener comprising a sheet metal bodyv providing a base larger than said opening in said part and adapted to bear on said part, said base having an aperture and carrying means adjacent said aperture for engaging a bolt or screw, and

a return bent portion projecting from said base definin an arm extending in the same general direction as said base, said arm being smaller than said base and having an open area providing a bolt or screw passage aligned with the aperture in saidbase, said arm; being of suchsize a to be'fully receivable in the opening in Accordingly, iwith the combined nut and nut holder attached said part from one side of said part to extend through said opening and engage the other side of said part in overlapping relation to a marginal portion of said opening, an abutment pro vided from the material of said arm and bent 5 to extend in the opposite direction from said arm, said abutment being engageable with said other side of said part in overlapping relation to an opposite marginal portion of said opening, said arm defining a projecting shoulder adjoining said fastener base adapted to engage the wall of said opening, and another shoulder on said arm engageable with the wall of said opening in spaced relation to said projecting shoulder.

GEORGE A. TINNERMAN.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,198,439 Kost Apr. 23, 1940 2,222,449 Tinnerman Nov. 19, 1940 2,252,904 Todd Aug. 19, 1941 2,258,555 Kost Oct, 7, 1941 2,258,845 Burke Oct. 14, 1941 2,399,958 Tinnerman May '7, 1946 2,516,274 Tinnerman July 25, 1950 

